Rosebud / UK premiere

Katalin Varga

  • Peter Strickland /
  • Romania, UK, Hungary /
  • 2008 /
  • 84 mins

Hilda Péter, Tibor Pálffy, Norbert Tankó, Melinda Kantor, Sebastian Marina, Roberto Giacomello, László Mátray

A powerful and elegant debut by the British directorial discovery of the year.

At once a road movie, a revenge narrative and a compassionate study of the drawn-out effects of trauma, Peter Strickland’s Transylvania-set drama is a remarkable achievement. Hilda Péter plays the titular rural woman, whose life is irrevocably altered when she reveals a violent secret from her past. Kicked
out by her husband, Katalin sets out to confront her demons – an odyssey which draws her into danger, uncertainty and possible redemption.

2009 Archive

Image from Katalin Varga

Comments

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  • #1 DIANA VIRGINIA TODEA / Saturday 27 June, 2009 / 22:35 GMT

    A beautiful, poetical, philosophical film that contrasted the man's ambition to fix life's problems and the inexorable justice of God. I liked the natural flow of the story, the actors who transparently without any effort transmitted the destiny of Katalin Varga. I also loved the beautiful scenery from Transilvania, perfectly set for such an emotional drama.

  • #2 Saima Zahid / Sunday 28 June, 2009 / 20:27 GMT

    This film was a bit of a bore with a simplistic story juxtaposed with silly repetitive camera work (how many times do we need to see a focus in, focus out, focus in on the same scene??) and an annoying soundtrack of windlike whistling aiming to be suspenseful. I like character stories but despite this one having some good moments, this one left me falling asleep. A let down for my last 2009 film fest film.

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